According to an ancient legend, the foundation of Istanbul dates back to 650 BC, when the Greek King Byzas decided to abandon his city Megera, searching for a new place, where he and his people could have began a new life. Byzas chose the spot after consulting an oracle of Delphi, who told him to settle across from the "land of the blind ones." Indeed, Byzas concluded, earlier settlers must have been deprived of their sight to have overlooked this superb location at the mouth of the Bosphorus strait. Byzas gave his name to the city: Byzantium. Nowadays Istanbul is a chaotic city, full of contrasts giving unforgettable images: the din, the smells, the intense traffic, the street clamours, the peddlers standing at any corner, the sea at the back dominating the scenery… This is the most accurate description of the ancient powerful and ever mythical Constantinople. In Istanbul, thanks to its geography, the Islamic traditions blend with the Western ones. Istanbul is split in two by the Bosphorus channel, which metaphorically divides Europe from Asia, the past and the present melt together creating a unique and magic atmosphere.  (More) ...